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 By: Layne Norton
I recently got the chance to interview all-time great quarterback Tom Brady. Tom needs absolutely NO introduction but for anyone who has been living under a rock for the last 7 years may want to know that Tom has won three Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots, including back to back Super Bowls in 2004 and 2005 and is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks of today and all time. This past year he led his team to an unblemished regular season record of 16-0 and set the single season touchdown record with 50 touchdown passes! In a Bodybuilding.com exclusive interview Tom sits down to chat with us for one of his first interviews after Super Bowl XLII.
[ A ] Well honestly we've had so many big wins over the years; I tend to remember the losses more so than the victories. Obviously, last week's game is still very fresh in my mind and that really stung, but you try to move on from it and use it to motivate yourself for the next year.
[ A ] I really think that it starts at the top and goes all the way down. We have the best coach in the league, probably the best coach in the history of the game, one of the best owners in game, and management does an incredible job drafting, bringing in free agents, and getting together the right coaching staff and personal to maximize our performance. Everyone all the way from ownership down to the training staff is just great at what they do and there is so much consistency in the organization that everyone feels very comfortable in the system we have in place.
[ A ] I respect coach Belichick immensely as a coach and as a person, I can't speak for all the other guys but I know I just love playing for a guy who cares so much about winning. I have known plenty of coaches who have a great public image but were not good coaches. I think any player in the NFL is going to want to play for a great coach that cares about winning above all else.
[ A ] We had a great year on paper but we didn't accomplish the goal we set out with. Our goal was not to go undefeated; it was to win the Super Bowl. We did not do that so obviously we have some things to improve upon next season in order to win the Super Bowl next year. We made quite a few mistakes against the Giants that didn't really come up earlier in the year and so we'll need to improve upon that.
[ A ] Those things didn't really matter. Every time we took the field we just played the absolute best we could. We ran the plays that were called and the plays that were called were put in place because we felt they gave us the best chance to win. When you have a good game plan and you execute it well you are going to put points on the board regardless.
[ A ] You know I think every good team in the NFL says, "We have to rush the QB." The best defenses out there constantly hit the QB. If you give an NFL quarterback time to sit back in the pocket and get comfortable you aren't going to win many football games. The Giants are a great team and they played a great game, that's why they are Super Bowl champs. I never went into any games this year thinking we were unbeatable. We just came out each week and played our hardest and we made enough plays to win during the season and also had a few things go our way. In the Super Bowl we just didn't make enough plays to win.
[ A ] Over the course of six months of football you are going to get a lot of bumps and bruises. I think each player works to find a way to keep himself healthy as best he can for games and for practice because if you can't practice consistently you aren't going to improve. Related Sports Injury Articles:
I felt that this was my best year in terms of staying healthy. I had no major injuries. When I do get injured I make sure to get treatment for it using the training staff at my disposal to help with my recuperation. I also started using Myo-Med to help with the aches and pains from injuries as well as to help speed my recovery. Right now less than a week after the season I feel just as good as when it began so I really feel like it made a big difference for me.
  Click To Enlarge. 2-Time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady Endorses MyoMed Toxin-Free Pain Relief Cream.
[ A ] During the season I typically lift weights four days per week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I take off Wednesday, Saturday, and obviously we play most Sundays. I also do 40-60 minutes of cardio six days per week in order to improve my conditioning. I try to mix up my cardio using a variety of machines like the stepper, precor, as well as some running. In the off-season I still do cardio six days per week 40-60 minutes per day but I do more running than in-season. In the off-season I also switch my weight lifting over to a routine more so orientated towards strength and my sessions are usually about 25% longer since my body isn't beat up from playing.
[ A ] I always try to eat clean, as a professional athlete; I feel that's what my body demands. I have never been much of a junk food eater; I just try to get enough quality protein in along with healthy snacks like fruits, veggies, granola, and nuts.
[ A ] I was never blessed with great speed so in order to avoid pass rushers I have always done a lot of work on improving my mobility. I do a lot of drills involving shuffling and sliding as well as quite a bit of jump rope to improve my quickness and shiftiness.
I also do footwork drills to improve my coordination as well as hand eye coordination drills.
[ A ] Yes, I take vitamins everyday, protein shakes, and protein bars to help me get in high quality protein when I'm pressed for time as well as creatine to improve my strength for lifting.
[ A ] Yes! In the game against the Eagles this year there was a hit where I didn't see the guy coming and he flew in parallel to the ground and just absolutely leveled me and landed on top of me. I didn't suffer an injury from it but I wanted to rub Myo-Med all over my body after that one (laughs).
[ A ] No problem Layne, thank you. More Pro Football Interviews:
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